Mechanical boiler-cleaner.



Patented June 24, I902.

P. F. GIBBUNS.

MECHANICAL BOILER CLEANER.

(Application filed Dec 2, 1901.)

5 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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(Application filed Dec. 2, 1901.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

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M 4 ffarrzpy No. 702,939. I Patented June 24, I902. P. F. GIBBONS.

MECHANICAL BOILER CLEANER.

(Application filed. Dec. 2, 1901.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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5 Sheets-Sheet-4,

Patented June 24, I902.

P. F. GIBBUNS.

MECHANICAL BOILER CLEANER.

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(Application filed Dec. 2, 1901.)

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No. 702,939. Patented June- 24, 1902.

P. r. masons. MECHANICAL BOILER CLEANER.

(Application filed Dec. 2, 190 [.1

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PIERCE F. GIBBONS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TWO-THIRDS TO EDXVARD G. ZARFUS AND CHARLES E. KESTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MECHANICAL BOILER-CLEAN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 702,939, dated June 24, 1902.

Application filed December 2, 1901. Serial No. 84,399. (No model.)

To all? whom, it may concern: looking in the direction indicated by the ar- Be it known that I, PIERCE F. GIBBONS, a rows. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal view, partly citizen of the United States, residing at Ohiin section and partly in elevation, taken on cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illiline 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction in- 5 nois,have invented certain new and usefullmdicated by the arrow and showing the boiler provements in Mechanical Boiler-Cleaners, of shortened for the convenience of illustration.

which the following is a specification. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View of the lower This invention relates to improvements in portion of the'boiler, showing the part of the mechanical boiler-cleaners, and while it is cleaner used for cleaning said portion. Fig.

20 more especially intended to be used on boil- 5 is a detail view of a portion of the operaters of the tubular and horizontal type, yet it ing-shaft of the cleaner and a portion of the is applicable to boilers without tubes; and doorofthe smoke-chamberofthe boiler, showit consists in certain pecularities of the coninga gear for driving said shaft. Fig. 6 is a struction, novel arrangement, and operation view in front elevation of some of the cleaners 15 of the various parts thereof, as will be hereor ringed scrapers for the tubes of the boiler.

inafter more fully set forth and specifically Fig. '7 is an end view thereof. Fig. Sis a plan claimed. view,with a part in section, taken on line 8 8 of The principal object of my invention is to Fig. 6. Fig.0 is a perspective detached view provideasimple and efficient cleaner for boilof the nut or carrier for the tube-cleaners or 2o ers which may be readily placed in position ringed scrapers. Fig. 10 is a similar view of a after the boiler has been constructed or may part of one of said cleaners. Fig. 11 represents be applied thereto when the boiler is being perspective views of the connecting-bars for made and which by reason of the peculiar the tube-cleaners or ringed scrapers. Fig. construction and operation of its parts will 12 is an end View of a marine boiler or of a 25 clean and keep clean or will remove from the boiler of a different type from that shown in boiler-tubes and inner surface of the parts of Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive,with the front removed the boiler and keep them free of any scales and illustrating the brush or cleaner for the orincrustations thatmight form thereon,t-hus crown-sheet thereof. Fig. 13 is a longitudienabling the boiler to receive the full effect nal sectional view taken on line 13 13 of 30 of the heat from the fuel, thereby economiz- Fig. 12looking in the direction indicated by ing in the quantity thereof used. the arrows, showing the boiler shortened for Another object of the invention is to so conthe convenience of illustration. Fig. 14 repstruct the cleaner that it may be operated by resents a front and side view of the hanger hand or by any suitable power and in such a for the cleaner or brush used for cleaning the 35 manner thatit will travel back and forth withcrown-sheet. Fig. 15 represents an end and in the boiler, so as to clean the tubes and infront view of the brush or cleaner for the ner surfaces of the parts of the boiler while crown-sheet. Fig. 16 is a detached view, in

the same is in use. side elevation, of a bell-crank lever employed Other objects and advantages of the invenfor raising and lowering the crown-sheet 40 tion will be disclosed in the subjoined decleaner or brush; and Fig. 17 is a shortened scription and explanation. longitudinal sectional view of a boiler, show- In order to enable others skilled in the art ing the cleaners for the tubes, crown-sheet,

to which my invention pertains to make and and bottom in position and illustrating the use the same, 1' will now proceed to describe door to the front of the boiler, which carries 5 45 it, referring to the accompanying drawings, the detachable means for driving the main in which' shaft, partly open. I

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a station- Like numerals refer to like parts throughary boiler of the tubular type, showing my out the different views of the drawings.

invention applied thereto and the partsin po- The numeral 20 represents a boiler of the 50 sition ready for operation. Fig. 2 is a crossordinary construction; but which in the pressectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 3 out instance I have shown as being of the tubular type and having tubes 21, to clean which is a part of the object of my invention. Journaledin the ends of the boiler is a screwthreaded shaft 22, which may be provided at its end extending through the head or end of the boiler with a stuffing-box 23 to prevent leakage of steam or water. The outwardlyprojecting portion of the shaft 22 is preferably formed with a squared end 24 to fit in a similarly-shaped socket 25 on the inner end of a shaft 26, which is journaled in the door 27 of the smoke-chamber 28 of the boiler and has mounted on its outer portion a pinion 29 to mesh with a gear 30, mounted on a crankshaft 31, journaled on the door 27, asis clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The shaft 22 may be driven by hand by means of the crank-shaft 31 and gears 29 and 30, or power may be applied by means of a belt (not shown) on a pulley 32, mounted on the shaft of the gear 30, and said belt may be equipped so as to cause the shaft 22 to reverse its movement when the cleaners have reached the ends of the boiler. As shown in the drawings, the shaft 22 is located in the midst of the group' of tubes 21 and has mounted thereon a traveler or traveling nut 33, which is provided with a screw-threaded opening for the reception and operation of the said shaft. This nut or traveler is preferably of the form shown in Fig. 9 of the drawingsthat is, it is provided with four extensions 34 and curved recesses between said extensions in order to allow them to project between the tubes adjacent to the shaft 22, as is clearlyshown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Bolted to each of the extensions 34 of the traveler 33 is a bifurcated bracket 35, which extends outwardly between the tubes. The vertical brackets 35 are secured by means of bolts 36 to lugs 37 on the upper and lower sets of the frames 38 of the ringed scrapers or cleaners, and the horizontal brackets 35 are secured at their outer ends by means of bolts to the central portion of the connecting-bars 39, which extend vertically between the tubes, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The frames 38 of the ringed scrapers are all made substantially alike, except those located on the upper and lower tubes are provided with apertured lugs 40, while on the intervening frames 38 said lugs are omitted except at their ends. Each of the frames 38 consists of two pieces 41 and 42, having a series of semicircular portions 43, provided with inwardly-extending pins 45 to fit into elongated openings 46 in the segmental or curved pieces 47, which are located on the inner surfaces of the portions 43 and preferably so as to break the joints thereof. On their adjacent surfaces the pieces 41 and 42, composing the frames 38, are formed between the semicircular portions 43 with recesses 48 to receive spiral springs 49, the ends of which rest against the segments or curved pieces 47 and tend to press them toward each other and against the tubes 21, which they surround. Each of the ends of the pieces 41 is provided with an outwardly-open recess 44 and with a downwardly and inwardly extending hook 50 or projecting portion, on which a lug 51 on each of the ends of the pieces 42 rests, which lug is also provided with outwardly-open recesses 52 to receive the Vertical tie or connecting bars 39 and 53, which tie-rods are provided at their ends with openings to receive bolts, by means of which they are secured to the lugs 40 at the ends of the frames. Each of the pieces 41 and 42 is provided on one of its sides between the semicircular portions 43 with recessed lugs 54 to engage the connecting or tie rods 39 and 53 and 55, each of which is provided with recesses 56 to receive said lugs, thus firmly locking the portions of the frames together and also connecting all of the frames.

The above-described construction affords a device for cleaning and keeping clean the tubes of the boiler, for it will readily be understood that by rotating the shaft 22 by any suitable means first in one direction and then the other the traveler 33 will be caused to advance and retract and carry with it the cleaners or scrapers for the tubes,which will remove any substances that might cling thereto.

To clean the lower portion of the boiler, the

lower frame 38 of the tube-cleaners may be provided with an extension 57, (see Fig. 4,) to which may be adjustably secured a brushbody 58 by means of bolts 59, passing through slots 60 in said body, which is provided on its lower surface with steel or Wire bristles. This brush or cleaner for the lower portion of the boiler may be lowered when the bristles become Worn by loosening the bolts 59, as is apparent.

In Figs. 12 and 13 of the drawings I have shown my apparatus applied to a marine boiler or one of a different type from that shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, and above described, and in order to clean the crownsheet 61 thereof 1 secure to the traveler 33 a bifurcated standard 62, which extends upwardly between the tubes and has journaled on its upper end a shaft 63, on which is mounted a sheave or grooved roller 64, which travels on a rod 65, extending from one end to the other of the boiler. Secured at one of its ends to the shaft 63 is the hanger-bar 66, which carries at its other end the transverse hanger 67 for the body 68 of the brush 69 or cleaner for the crown-sheet. This body is provided with wire or other bristles 70 on its lower surface and is movably secured to the hanger 67 by means of bolts 71, which are located in suitable openings in the said body and in slots 72 in the hanger near its ends. The front portion of the bar 66 has journaled therein a grooved roller 73, which also travels on the rod 65 and, with the roller 64, provides a carriage for the crown -sheet cleaner or brush. The body 68 has rearward projections 74, with which the lower arms 75 of the bell- IIO crank levers 76 are adapted to engage, so as to raise the said body when it is being retracted. These levers are fulcrumed on the sides of the bar 66 near its front end, and each has on its upper arm a roller 77, which travel on rails 78, secured longitudinally on the upper inner surface of the front of the boiler, and which rails have their rear ends downwardlyinclined, as at 79. (See Fig. 13 of the drawings.) Journaled on each of the ends of the brush or cleaner body 68 is a roller 80, which are adapted to travel on rails 81, secured to the upper inner surface of the rear of the boiler, and which rails have their front ends downwardly inclined.

In using the construction shown in Figs. 12 and 13 and just above described it is apparent that the shaft 22 may or should extend through the rear end of the boiler instead of its front end, as before, and may be turned first in one direction and then the other by any suitable means, in which operation the traveler 33 will be caused to advance and retract and carry with it the cleaners for the tubes as well as the cleaner for the crownsheet. As the mechanism approaches the rear end of the boiler the rollers 80 on the body 68 will strike the inclined portions 82 of the rails 81 and raise said body, when the arms 75 of the levers 76 will engage the projections 7% on the body and hold it in the raised position until the front end of the boiler is reached, when the rollers on the levers 76 will impinge the inclined parts 7 9 of the rails 78, thus raising the upper arms of said levers and at the same time disengaging the lower arms or hooks 75 thereof from the projections 74 on the body 68 and allowing it to drop, so that the brush will rest on the crown-sheet. In the rearward progress of the mechanism the brush or cleaner 7 0 will remove any substance from the crown-sheet 61 to the trough 83, located at the rear of the crown-sheet or fire-box, by means of which it will be conveyed over the tubes to the bottom of the boiler, from whence it may be removed through suitable openings. (Not shown.)

It will be understood that a cleaner for the bottom of the boiler like that shown in Fig. 4 may be used in connection with the tube and crown-sheet cleaner, or any one of the cleaners maybe employed separately,without departing from the spirit of my invention.

While I have shown the frames 38 of the tube cleaners or scrapers as being connected together by means of the recessed bars and prefer to use them for the reason they afford a convenient means for connecting them without bolts between the inner tubes, (which bolts would be difficult to insert or reach,) yet I do not desire to be limited to the use of said bars, as I may employ other means for uniting said frames. Neither do -I desire to be limited to the construction of the frames 38 nor to the means shown and described of uniting the parts thereof, for it will be understood that in practice I may employ other constructions for said parts as well as for other parts of the apparatus.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with a tubular boiler having a smoke-chamber and door thereto, of a screw-threaded shaft longitudinally journaled therein and having one of its ends extending into said chamber, a screw-threaded traveler mounted on said shaft, cleaners for the tubes of the boiler and for the crown-- sheet thereof connected to the traveler and carried thereby, a shaft j ournaled in the door of the smoke-chamber and having means on its inner end to detachably engage the firstnamed shaft, and means connected with the outer portion of the door-shaft to rotate the same, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a tubular boiler having a smoke-chamber and door thereto, of a screw-threaded shaft longitudinally journaled therein and having one of its ends extending into said chamber, a traveler mounted on said shaft, cleaners for the tubes, for the crown-sheet and for the bottom of the boiler connected to the traveler and carried thereby, a shaft journaled in the door of the smoke-chamber and having means on its inner end to detachably engage the first-named shaft, and means connected with the outer portion ofthe door-shaft to rotate the same, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a rotatable shaft longitudinally journaled in the boiler, of a traveler mounted thereon, a series of bifurcated brackets secured to the traveler and extending vertically and horizontally therefrom between the tubes of the boiler and providing a front set of prongs and a rear set of prongs, aseries of ringed frames located on the tubes and connected together in sets and thus secured to the sets of prongs of said brackets, each of said frames consisting of two pieces joined together and having a number of semicircular portions to form rings, and provided with recesses in their adjacent surfaces, inwardly-extending pins on each of the semicircular portions, segmental pieces located in said rings and provided with openings for the pins and springs located in said recesses to press the segments inwardly, substantially as described. 4

4. The combination with a rotatable shaft longitudinally journaled in the boiler, of a traveler mounted thereon, a series of bifurcated brackets secured to the traveler and extending therefrom between the tubes of the boiler, a series of ringed frames located on the tubes and connected together and secured to the said brackets, each of said frames consisting of two pieces joined together and having a number of semicircular portions to form rings and provided with recesses in their adjacent surfaces, inwardly-extending pins on each of the semicircular portions, segmental pieces located in said rings and provided with open- &

ings for the pins, and springs located in said recesses to press the segments inwardly, substantially as described.

-5. A cleaner for the tubes of a boiler comprisingaframe consisting of two pieces joined together and having a number of semicircular portions to form rings and provided with recesses in their adjacent surfaces, inward lyextending pins on each of the semicircular portions, segmental pieces located in said rings and provided with openings for the pins, and springs located in said recesses to press the segments inwardly, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a rotatable shaft journaled in the boiler, of a traveler mounted thereon, an upright standard secured to the traveler and having on its upper end a. roller, a rod located longitudinally in the upper portion of the boiler to support said roller, rails secured to the inner upper portion of the front of the boiler and having their rear ends downwardly inclined, rails secured to the inner upper portion of the rear of the boiler and having their front ends downwardly inclined, a hanger beam or bar pivotally secured at one of its ends to the upright standard and provided at its other end with a transverse hanger having vertical slots in its ends, a roller journaled in the front end of the said beam or bar and resting on the said rod, a cleanerbody for the crown-sheet movably secured in the slots of the hanger, rollers journaled on each end of the cleaner-body and adapted to travel on the rails at the rear end of the boiler, a bell-crank lever fulcrumed on each side of the hanger-bar and having on its up per arm a roller to travel on the rails at the front end of the boiler and provided on its lower arm with means to engage the cleanerbody to hold it in a raised position, substantially as described.

PIERCE F. GIBBONS. WVitnesses:

CHAS. O. TILLMAN, A. GUSTAFSON. 

